Fuselage construction for aeroplanes



J. L. CATOL FUSELAGE CONSTRUCTION FOR AEROPLANES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7, I9I9.

w w/ ymm Patented Sept. 5', i922.

UNHTEQ JOSEPH L. CATO, 0F ELMHURST, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 'I'O lL-W-F ENGINEERING COMPANY INC., OF COLLEGE POINT, LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK, A CORPORA- TION OF MICHIGAN.

FUSELAGE G'ONSTRUCTION FOR AEROPLANES.

Application filed November 7, 1919.

To all 107mm it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOSEPH L. CATO, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Elmhurst, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful improvement in Fuselage Const-ruc tions for Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to a construction adapted to be used for fuselages and has reference especially to the strengthening means carried thereby.

The object of my invention is to provide a fuselage construction in which transversestrengthening plates of an advantageous character are used.

Another advantage is to provide such strengthening plates which are capable of being readily secured in place-in the fuselage without necessitating a large expendh ture of labor in the installation of the same.

Again, another object of my invention is to provide strengthenin plates which are provided with straight sides arranged to be secured to the curved interior of the fuselage.

Further objects of my invention will appear from the detailed description thereof contained hereinafter.

While my invention is capable of embodiment in many different forms, for the purpose of illustration, T have, shown only one way of carrying out the same in the accom panying drawings, in which- Fig. l is a transverse section of a fuselage made in accordance with my invention and showing one of the transverse strengthening plates in elevation, and

Fig. 2 is a fragmental side elevation of one of the strengthening plates.

in the drawings, I have shown in cross section a monocoquefusela-ge 1 made of a plurality of alternating laminations of wood and woven fabric secured together with glue. in the interior of the fuselage there are provided any number of transverse strengthening plates 2. Each of these plates 2 is made up of a plurality of layers of wood. 3, a and 5 with the grain of layers of wood crossing one another and the difi'erent layers being secured together with glue. As shown in Fig. 1 the strengthening plate 2 has a number of triangular openings 3" having edges 3 from which portions of wood which Serial No. 336,288.

have been removed to lessen the weight with out materially affecting the strength of the plate. Furthermore. said plate is provided with straight sides in order to facilitate its manufacture and in order to, enable it to be readily fitted to different fuselages. The plate 2 at its upper and lower edges fits against upper and lower bracing bars 6 and 7 which are of tubular character and extend entirely through the fuselage for the purpose of receiving at their ends in eye brackets 8, 9, 10 and 11, the ends of the struts carried by the aeroplane. The plate 2 is secured to the bracing bars 6 and 7 by means of metal straps 12 having tongues 13 and 1% which are folded over and around the bracing bars 6 and 7 and are secured to the plate 2 on opposite sides thereof by means of rivets 15. Furthermore, on opposite sides of the plate 2, and at each corner thereof, there are provided angle brackets 16, one wing of each of which fits over the top of the strap and the other wing of which fits against the interior surface of the fuselage, rivets 1? being provided to secure said wings in place.

The operation of my invention will, be clearly understood from the foregoing description of the construction. A fuselage to be equipped with my invention has first introduced into the same the desired nuniber of bracing plates 2, each of the same being provided at the four corners thereof with straps 12. Thereafter the bracingbars 6 and 7 are passed through the body of the fuselage and the straps 12. The plate is then firmly secured in p. ce by introducing the-angle brackets 16 and securing them both to the fuselage and the plates. it will also be noted, with this method of applying transverse strengthening plates whefe it is not necessary to fit the edges of the plate against the curved interior surface of the fuselage, that the bracing plates 2 may be of an interchangeable size and shape. That is to say, they may be inserted at any one of a number of difierent points alongthe fusela e.

While T have described above in detail, I wish it to be understood that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. In combination, a fuselage, a transverse strengthening plate therein, insane for at my invention Mid 7 conform to the shape of the fuselage comprising a transverse bracing bar and means for securing the plate to the bar.

2. In combination, a fuselage, a transverse strengthening plate therein, means for attaching the plate to the fuselage without the necessity of having the shape of the plate conform to the shape of the fuselage comprising a transverse bracing bar and means for securing the plate to the bar including astrap passing around the bar and secured to the plate.

3. In combination, a fuselage, a transverse strengthening plate therein, means for attaching the plate to the'fuselage without the necessity of having the shape of the plate conform to the shape of the fuselage comprising a transverse bracing bar and means for securing the plate to the bar including a strap passing around the bar and secured to the plate at the corner of the plate.

4. In combination, a fuselage, a transverse strengthening plate therein, means for attaching the plate to the fuselage without the necessity of having the shape of the plate conform to the shape of the fuselage comprising an angle bracket, a transverse hracin bar and means for securing the plate to the ar.

5. In combination, a fuselage, a transverse strengthening plate therein, means for attaching the plate to the fuselage without the necessity of having the shape of the plate conform to the shape of the fuselage comprising an angle bracket, a transverse bracing bar and means for securing the plate to the bar including a strap passing around the bar and secured to the plate.

6. In combination, a fuselage, a transverse strengthening plate therein, means for at taching the plate to the fuselage without the necessity of having the shape of the plate conform to the shape of the fuselage comprising an angle bracket, a transverse bracing bar and means for securing the plate to the bar including a strap passing around the bar and secured to the plate at the corner of the plate.

7. In combination, a fuselage, a rectangular transverse strengthening plate therein, means for attaching the plate to the fuselage without the necessity of having the shape of the plate conform to the shape of the fuselage comprising an upper and a lower the fuselage comprisin transverse bracing bar and means for securing the plate to each of said bars.

8. In combination, a fuselage, a rectangular transverse strengthening plate therein, means for attaching the plate to the fuselage without the necessity of having the shape of the plate conform to the shape of the fuselage comprising an upper and a lower transverse bracing bar and means for securing the plate to each of said bars including a strap passing around the bars and secured to the plate.

9. In combination, a fuselage, a rectangular transverse strengthening plate therein,

means for attaching the plate to the fuselage Without the necessity of having the shape of the plate conform to the shape of the fuselage comprising an upper and a lower transverse bracing bar and means for securing the plate to each of said bars including a strap passing around the bars and secured to the plate at the corner of the plate.

10. In combination, a fuselage, a rectangular transverse strengthening plate therein, means for attaching the plate to the fuselage without the necessity of having the shape of the plate conform to the shape of the fuselage comprising an angle bracket, an upper and a lower transverse bracing bar and means for securing the plate to each of said bars.

11. In combination, a fuselage, a rectangular transverse strengthening plate therein, means for attaching the plate to the fuselage without the necessity of having the shape of the plate conform to the shape of an angle bracket, an upper and a lower transverse bracing bar and means for securing the plate to each of said bars including a strap passing around the bars and secured to the plate.

12. In combination, a fuselage, a rectangular transverse strengthening plate therein, means for attaching the plate to the fuselage without the necessity of having the shape of the plate conform to the shape of the fuselage comprising an angle bracket, an upper and a lower transverse hracing bar and means for securing the plate to each of said 'hars including a strap passing around the bars and'secured to the plate at the corner of the plate.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have herento set my hand this 11th day of October, 1919.

JEPII L. CATO. 

